[5][6][7] As a front-wheel drive three door hatchback coupé based on the Vectra A chassis, its ride and handling are not significantly better than that of the large family car from which it grew.

An innovative design feature was the slim 7 cm high headlamp, which was possible to create using the then new ellipsoid technology developed in conjunction with Hella.

[9] To reach the record Cd figure, the prototype Calibra had to be taken to the DNW wind tunnel in the Nederlands where models could be tested above a rolling road simulating real life airflow.

[5][10] The Calibra remained the most aerodynamic mass production car for the next ten years, until the Honda Insight was launched in November 1999, with a Cd of 0.25.

[11] All later 16V, V6, 4x4 and turbo models had a worse Cd of 0.29, due to changes in cooling system, underbody, use of spoked wheels and glass detail.

[12] During its lifetime, the Calibra was much more popular in Europe, and outsold its nearest rival, the Ford Probe, which was considered to be underpowered, and very American for most European drivers.

Most noticeably, the manufacturer badge migrated from its place atop the leading edge of the bonnet into the front grille.

There was also a Keke Rosberg edition first only available in white, in celebration of the Calibra's success in the German Touring Car Championship at the time.

Some special models sold in continental Europe included lowered Irmscher suspension and a numbered plaque on the ashtray.

These were all finished in jet black paintwork with an Irmscher spoiler, BBS RX 16" alloys and colour coded body fittings.

[5][18][19][20] Around 100,000 were sold in Germany,[21] over 40,000 in the UK,[18] more than 27,000 in Italy, over 17,000 in Spain, around 13,000 in France and over 10,000 in Switzerland giving the major markets of the Calibra.

At the beginning of the production the standard equipment of the Calibra 8 valve was a 20 W two-speaker stereo with cassette player, sports seats front with adjustable height on the driver's side, split folding rear seats, ABS, power steering, electric side mirror adjustment, analog clock on the middle console, makeup mirrors in the sunvisors, lockable glovebox, tinted windows, 14-inch alloy wheels and bumpers in body color.

By contrast better equipped facelifted models with larger engines offered air-conditioning, traction control, electric windows, a 30W 6 speaker stereo system (or 150 W Bose with 6 speaker plus additional subwoofer), CD-changer, central locking, immobiliser, leather upholstery with heated front seats, board computer, sunroof, two airbags with pre-tensioners, alarm system with motion sensors, 15 or 16 inch alloy wheels, etc.

In the case of the Cliff Motorsport Edition the following color names were applied: Ocean = Magneticblau, Polar = Karibikblau, Barracuda = Keramikblau.

Neglect of these points through ignorance or a misconceived attempt to save money was common, and was likely to lead to very expensive failures of the transfer gearbox.

[33][34] The Calibra featured four types of recycled materials, used in parts such as the headlight frames, water deflector, bumper attachments, inlet manifold, and fender liners.

Owen Ashley Auto Developments, based in Cape Town, was contracted to design and build the car in late 1990, with financial backing from DMC.

The car was designed around the then-current Class A rule set (broadly similar to that used in the American IMSA GT series).

A rule change for 1994 that banned turbocharged engines from the series, as well as the rapidly increasing popularity of Group A super touring cars, compelled DMC to retire the Calibra in favour of devoting its motorsport budget and resources to its two-car Astra super touring effort.

[42] Now a red painted prototype is exhibited in the underground garage of Opel Classic at the concept car section.

[43] In 1996 Opel began the development of the successor of the Calibra on the basis of the Vectra B, but it didn't fit the international model strategy of General Motors, so the project was dropped.

One non-functioning 1:1 scale model from the beginning of 1997 remain, that has been kept hidden for more than twenty years, and revealed for public on the thirtieth anniversary of the Calibra A world premiere.

[43] As a non-functioning study, it had only a very schematic interior and two different type of headlights (left and right) to test various design solutions at the front.

[44] The GTC concept car was rather a design projection for the first generation of Opel Insignia introduced next year, and especially its most powerful OPC version, which inherited the concept car's large emphasized vertical intakes at the front, similar exhaust tips at the rear and rims on the side.